Refrigerating apparatus.



J. C. BERTSCH.

lREFRIGEHATING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE-24, |915.

Patented Nov. 6, v1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

,4 TTUR/VE 1. c. BEmscH. REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, |915.

Lm, 179 Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A TTOHN E Y JOHN' C. BERTSCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

Application filed June 24, 1915. Serial No. 36,018.

To all whom 'it 'may concern:

Beit known that l, JOHN C. BER'rsoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

rihis invention relates to improvements i refrigerating apparatus of the compression system, in which a readily condensable duid is vaporized in an evaporator, the vapor compressed in a rotary compressor and then condensed in a condenser, for the repeated vaporization of the liquid fluid in the evaporator.

For like purposes but for diierent working conditions than those embodied in my application for Letters Patent for a similar apparatus, Serial Number 32,605, iiled June 7, 1915, the invention is particularly intended for use in refrigerating apparatus of small capacity, such as are adapted for` use in homes and stores. But the novel features herein described are equally adaptable to, any other refrigerating apparatus, and

therefore I do not limit my invention to the class of machines mentioned, but include apparatus of any typeand capacity. 1' The main object of the invention isto provide a cheap, compact, safe and durable rerigerating apparatus of an extremely simple construction and eiicient operation. Another object of the invention is to provide for a perfect separation'of lubricant and refrigerant, and for an elective cooling and independent storage of each of them within the apparatus. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide simple means for preventing slugs of refrigerant from entering the compressor, and likewise for preventing the lubricant from entering the evaporator. I

Still another object of the inventionvis a material increase in eiiiciency by subjecting the rotating members to. a mean eective pressure lower. than the terminal ressure. Other advantages of the invention will be described hereafter and pointed out in the claims.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the vaccompanying drawings. in which Figure 1 is. a vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, with the upper part broken od'. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, each half diiierent from the other, the upper half being or( line 5 5, and the lower half on line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical detail section of the discharge valve within the separator. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view on line 7 7 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the packing ring within the water jacket. i

The preferred location of the apparatus is directly on top of av refrigerator, whereby all pipe lines are eliminated. But the apparatus may be. located anywhere else, either on the side, or behind, or below, or within the refrigerator or space to be cooled,

and the evaporator may have any suitableV form and may be surrounded by air, water,

brine, or any other substance to be cooled or congealed, without in the least departing Jfrom the scope of the invention.

Volatile fiuids such as ethyl chlorid, rhigolene, or the like, may be used as the refrigerant, and as lubricant I prefer anhydrous glycerin, which isperfectly neutral toward the refrigerant, separates readily from the latter on-account of its greater speciic gravity, and which neither evaporates nor congeals at the temperatures experienced in this class of apparatus.

- The internal working parts of the rotary compressor form no part of the invention herein described, Vand' as far as vthey are shown inthe accompanying drawings they may be of any one of the well known constructions.

But the compressor body with allrthe parts connected thereto externally form the subject matter `of the present application and will be presently described and their operation fully explained. Y

A casting 10 forms the base for the complete apparatus including the driving unit (not shown), which isv preferably an elec-v tric motor. p

Base 10, together with the bottom of compressor body '11, bolted gas' tight tov the former, also forms a 'vapor' chamber 12, whiclipat its bottom is" provided with a vapor inlet 13, a liquid outlet 14, a drain pipe stuiiing box 15 and a Vdrain outlet 16. Base 10 is further provided'with a water inlet 17 provided with a gland 79.

pressed against the packing by a spring 80` presser together with the lubricant stored within chamber 22 and spaces 30. Then it enters the cooling coil 43 by way of pocket 70 and passage 71 provided underneath the body flange 33. The space between casing 64 and flange 33 is closed by a soft packing 72 pressed into place by packing ring 73 (@Fig. 6), which is held in position by a number of stud-bolts 74 which also serve for bolting the casing 64 water tight to the flange 33. The water leaves the coil 43 through outlet 75 which is externally provided with a deliector 76 for turning the flow downwardly and for distributing the water over the entire top surface of casing 45.

Accumulating to any desired height within the annular spaceformed by casings 45 and 64, the water runs to waste through outlet19 in the side wall of casing 64. If the latter is provided with a cover bolted water tight to casing 64, the deliector 7 6 and outlet 19 may be omitted and instead a waste water Aoutlet` 77 provided, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The bearing collar of front plate 24 forms with the sleeve 67 o-f the front head 29 thc packing space 78 of the stuffing box, which is The latter iS which is adjusted for the proper pressure by a screw cap 81 within the stuliing box extension 68. Shaft 25 and motor shaft 82 are connected by a flexible coupling 83 which is protected b-y a guard 84 placed over the extension 68.

The special arrangement required as an essential part of this class of apparatus, with glycerin as the lubricant. is fully set forth v yet eliminate the dangers to the rotary comand illustrated in my application for Letters Patent referred to above, and is therefore not repeated in this application.

Having thus fully described every detail of the invention, l will now explain its operation and particular advantages over apparatus used heretofore.

lt is well known that the operation on the so-called flooded system, that is the partial lling of the evaporator with liquid refrigerant, gives the best results with any given size of apparatus, but has the disadvantage that slugs of refrigerant are thrownv into, the compressor through the suction conduit. The latter occurrence must be strictlyv avoided with the use of a rotary compressor, or else the latter, which runs at a very high speed, may be wrecked by said slugs of liquid. To operate on the flooded system and pressor I provide the vapor chamber l2 as a receptacle for the slugs of liquid thrown out evaporator 48 during periods of vio-.1 lent ebullition. Upon ceasing of the latter,

the liquid refrigerant drops back into the evaporator through opening 13, whereas the vapor, dry and saturated, passes from chamber 12 through tube 53 into the suction chamfrom the bottom of condensing chamber 47 within the tube 49 and coil 50 through the saturated vapor wit-hin tube 53 and chamber 12 for the purpose of cooling. ready heat supply in the warmer liquid, said liquid slugs thrown from evaporator 48 into vapor chamber 12 quickly evaporate, thereby cooling the liquid before it reaches regulating valve 51. ln this manner the invention turns a great disadvantage of the flooded system into a useful process, lirst'by preventing the liquid from entering the compressor, and then by cooling the liquid to a much lower temperature than is possible by any other means.

Vapor tube 53 within the suction chamber 21 is for preventing the passage of any lubricant into vapor chamber 12 and evaporator 48.

To insure a proper lubrication and sealing of clearance spaces at all times, the supply of lubricant must remain constant, which is only possible 'by preventing same from passing into the evaporator, where it disturbs the vaporization of the refrigerant. In all machines of this character used heretofore, some of the lubricant passes through the compressor during stopping periods, during which the pressures within the apparatus equalize. Such lubricant cannot be returned to its proper place during periods of operaation, and in due course of time the compressor is robbed of its lubricant. vantage I eliminate effectively by providing vapor tube 53, through which the vapor is led from vapor chamber 12 into suction chamber 21 and thence into -the compressor.

The large suction chamber 21 insures also the perfect filling of the compressor and eliminates all tortuous passages with their consequent loss in volumetric ellicien'cy of the compressor.

After being \compressed, the mixture of vapor and lubricant is discharged through ports 56 into gas chamber23, and from there through discharge pipe 37 and valve 3S into the separator, where refrigerant gas and lubricant are perfectly separated by the great reduction of velocity, assisted by the downward and upward movement of the substances.

Discharge valve 38 is provided for relieving the working parts of the compressor from the terminal pressure existing in the condenser,

'and subjecting them instead to a much lower Finding a i This disadorder to lessenthe energy required for operating the apparatus. Another object ot the discharge valve 38 is the closing of the coniprcssor against the higher condensing pressure in case the apparatus is stopped, thus preventing 'the vaporization of the liquid refrigerant stored in the bottom of condensing chamber 4:7 and coil 50.

The lubricant flows by gravity into storage chamber 22, whereas the gas treed from lubricant must travel around cylinder 40 and out through opening l2 into condensing chamber 4'?, where it meets with the surfaces of coil 43 and casing 45 which are cooled by the water circulatingY within the former and around the latter, as fully described above. The cooling action ot the water-cooled surfaces of coil i3 and casing 45 causes the compressed gas to condense and liquefy for a repeated circulation to, and \'aporization within the evaporator 43.

The lubricant separated from the gas leaves the separator through passage 3G and drops into storage chamber 22, where it is exposed to the water-cooled walls of compressor body ll, as well as to the fluid-cooled bottom of body il, forming the top of vapor chamber 12. Being always under condensing pressure, the cooled lubricant i'ills spaces 30 between plates Qi and heads QS and 29 through passages 31, for the lubrication of the bearings of shaft :25 and all parts ot the compressor through ports 27. Vent ports 32, forming communication between spaces 30 and gas chamber 23, preventing the space 3(3 from becoming gas-bound, which would cause the lubricant to stop iiowing. As the gas within chamber 23 flows upward with a great velocity, ports 32 are subjected to the syphon-like action ot the discharged gas, by which the gas within spaces 30 is put in motion. @n the other hand, any liquid discharged through ports 56 and not suspended in the gas, is drained back into spaces 30 instead of being forced into 'the separator through discharge pipe 37.

rllhe refrigerant and lubricant being always kept separate from each other, a passage of the latter into the evaporator is made impossible, as even during an equalization of the pressures and consequent passing of lubricant through the compressor into suction chamber 21, no lubricant could enter through vapor tube 53, as the latteris always higher 'than the level of the lubricant when equalized in the compressor and chambers Ql-and 22.

l claim:

1. ln arefrigerating apparatus, the combination with an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor communicating Jfor the circulation of a fluid refrigerant through the same of a vapor chamber formed inthe base of the compressor and above the evaporator, and having an inlet from the evaporator :insegue 2. ln' a refrigerating apparatus, the com-v bination of a compressor and condenser mounted on a base, an evaporator, alubricator for the compressor, and pipe connec- 1 tions to said lubricator and between said evaporator and the condenser and compressor, said connections extending through the base.

3. ln a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a compressor and condenser mounted on a base, a vapor chamber in the base, a lubricating chamber in the compressor, an evaporator, a pipe connection between the condenser and evaporator extending through said chamber, and a pipe connection to the lubricator, extending throughl said base.

t. ln a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a vapor chamber, a compressor body covering the same, and a separator and condenser mounted on said body, the latter having separate lubricant and gas chambers in the walls thereof communicating with the separator and vapor chamber respectively. n

5, :in a refrigerating apparatus,`the conbination with a compressor having an inlet chamber at one side thereof, of a vapor chamber provided with Van inlet tube projecting upwardly into said inletlchamber, to prevent lubricant from entering said vapor chamber.

6. ln a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a vapor chamber, and a compressor body mounted thereon and having an inlet chamber, and a tube projecting upwardly from said vapor chamber into the inlet chamber.

7. ln a refrigerating apparatus, the combination with an evaporator, a condenser and Va compressor, of a vapor chamber between the evaporator and. compressor, an oil trap tube between the vapor chamber and the compressor, and a pipe connecting the condenser and evaporator and extending through said tube and chamber.

8. ln a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a compressor, a condensing chamber, a lubricant separator located within said chamber and having an inlet from the compressor and a gas outlet to the said chamber and a lubricant return passage to 'the compressor, and a water coil in said chamber, having an inlet at the bottom and an outlet at the top to the exterior of said chamber.

9. ln areirigerating apparatus, the combination of a compressor, a condensing chamber, a lubricant separator located within said chamber and having an inlet from the compressor and a gas outlet to the said chamber and a lubricant return passage to lso LOG

the compressor, and a water coil in said chamber, having an inlet at the bottom and an outlet at the top to the exterior of said chamber, said outlet being provided with a evaporator connected in series for the cir-Y culation of a refrigerant through the same, the condenser and separator being mounted upon the compressor, and a water jacket divided into a lower part inclosing the compressor and an upper part inclosing the condenser and separator, with a water-tight joint between said parts, the lower part having an inlet, anda passage for supplying water to the condenser, and the upper part having a waste outlet.

11. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a water jacket divided into upper and lower chambers, with an inlet to the former and a waste outlet from the latter, a compressor in the lower chamber, and a condenser and a lubricant separator in the upper chamber, in communication with the compressor, the condenser having a water inlet thereto from the lower chamber and a water outlet into the upper chamber.

12. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a water jacket divided into upper and lower chambers, with an inlet 'to the formera-nd a waste outlet from the latter, a compressor in the lower chamber, and a conl denser and a lubricant separator in the upper chamber, in communication with the compressor, the condenser comprising a closed casing within the upper chamber and a coil in said casing having an inlet at the lower end from the lower chamber and an outlet at the upper end, the casing having a gasinlet from the separator in the upper part thereof, and an outlet pipe at the bottom thereof.

13. 'An organized refrigerating apparatus, comprising a compressor for iui'd refrigerant, having a suction chamber and a delivery port, a separator communicating with the outlet port, a condenser communicating with the separator, an evaporator, and piping extending through said suction chamber and establishing communication between the outlet of the condenser and the inlet'. of the evaporator, the outlet of the evaporator communicating with said suction chamber.

14. An organized refrigerating apparatus v comprisinga compressor for iiuid refrigerant, havingV a suction chamber and a delivery chamber, a separator located above the compressor and communicating with thel delivery' chamber of the compressor, a condenser located above the compressor and communicating with the separator, an evaporator, communicating with said suction chamber, piping establishing communication between the condenser and the evaporator and extending through the suction chamber and water jackets surrounding the compressor and the condenser.

15. An organized refrigera'ting apparatus, comprising a compressor for fluid refrigerant having a suction chamber and a deliveryr chamber, a separator communicating with the delivery chamber, a condenser communicating with the separator, an evaporator receiving refrigerant from said condenser, a vapor chamber with which said evaporator communicates and which communicates with said suction chamber, and piping extendf ing through said suction chamber and said vapor chamber for establishing communication between said condenser and said evaporator.

-16. In a refrigerating apparatus, a compressor for uld refrigerant, a lubricant separator located above said compressor, an exhaust pipe communicating with the delivery port of the compressor and projecting upwardly and into said separator, and a check valve for controlling the tiow of fluid through said exhaust pipe.

17. In ay refrigerating apparatus, a compressor for iuid refrigerant, a lubricant separator located above said compressor, an exhaust pipe communicating with the delivery portl of the compressor and projecting upwardly and into said separator, and a check valve located within the separator and mounted on the upper end of said exhaust i e. p I8. In vcombination in a refrigerating ap-v paratus, a compressor for Huid refrigerant, a lubricant separator communicating with prising inverted cup-shaped members, one' klocated within the other, the outer of said members having a iiuid delivery port formed inthe upper portion thereof, and an exhaust pipe establishing communication between the separator and the delivery port of the coinpressor and projecting upwardly into the inner member of the separator.

19. In combination in a refrigerating machine, a compressor for fluid refrigerant, av lubricant separator communicating with thev delivery port of 'the compressor and comprising inner and outer inverted cup-shaped members, the outer member having a uid delivery port formed in the top thereof, a condenser communicating with the port of the separator, and an exhaust pipe communicating with the delivery port of the compressor and projecting upwardly and into the inner cup-shaped member.

20. In combination in a refrigerating machine, a compressor for iuid refrigerant, a lubricant separator comprising concentrically arranged innerv and outer inverted cupshaped members, the outer member having a port formed in the top thereof, a coildenser communicating with said poft and En testimony whereof, afx my signature surroundmg the separator, an exhaust plpe 1n presence of two Wltnesses.

communicating with the delivery port of `the compressor and projecting upwardly into JQHU C BERTSCH" said nnel Cup-shaped member', and a Cheek Vtnesses:

Valve carried oy said plpe and controlling MARY/V. WALLACE,

the How of fluid therethrough. d. H. GOLDSTEIN. 

